Download or read book Environment Subsistence and System written by R. F. Ellen and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1982-09-30 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human ecology is ultimately part of a general theory of society. This is the argument developed here by Roy Ellen, whose exploration of the interplay between social organization and ecology in small-scale subsistence systems has direct bearings both on the investigation of human environmental relations in general and on contemporary social theory. He argues that while ecological study of non-industrial societies cannot be elevated to the status of theory, domain or discipline, it can be represented as a single 'problematic' that historically has acquired some degree of autonomy and which continues to make a significant contribution to a wider anthropology. Dr Ellen introduces his subject matter through an extended and systematic discussion of some major frameworks developed within the last hundred years to examine and explain facets of the relationship between culture, social organization and the environment: determinism, possibilism, cultural ecology, systems theory and ideas derived from modern biology. He follows this with a detailed review and appraisal of important recent research involving the use of ecological models, methods and data. This original and innovative study of the pre-eminently social character of human ecological relations will be of considerable interest to all students and researchers concerned with understanding the nature of the relationship between human beings and their environments.
Download or read book Environment Subsistence and Society written by Karl G. Heider and published by . This book was released on 1972 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Modern Crises and Traditional Strategies written by R. F. Ellen and published by Berghahn Books. This book was released on 2007 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 1990s have seen a growing interest in the role of local ecological knowledge in the context of sustainable development, and particularly in providing a set of responses to which populations may resort in times of political, economic and environmental instability. The period 1996-2003 in island southeast Asia represents a critical test case for understanding how this might work. The key issues explored in this book are the creation, erosion and transmission of ecological knowledge, and hybridization between traditional and scientifically-based knowledge, amongst populations facing environmental stress (e.g. 1997 El Niño), political conflict and economic hazards. The book will also evaluate positive examples of how traditional knowledge has enabled local populations to cope with these kinds of insecurity.
Download or read book An Introduction to Cultural Ecology written by Mark Q. Sutton and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-08-26 with total page 315 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This contemporary introduction to the principles and research base of cultural ecology is the ideal textbook for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate courses that deal with the intersection of humans and the environment in traditional societies. After introducing the basic principles of cultural anthropology, environmental studies, and human biological adaptations to the environment, the book provides a thorough discussion of the history of, and theoretical basis behind, cultural ecology. The bulk of the book outlines the broad economic strategies used by traditional cultures: hunting/gathering, horticulture, pastoralism, and agriculture. Fully explicated with cases, illustrations, and charts on topics as diverse as salmon ceremonies among Northwest Indians, contemporary Maya agriculture, and the sacred groves in southern China, this book gives a global view of these strategies. An important emphasis in this text is on the nature of contemporary ecological issues, how peoples worldwide adapt to them, and what the Western world can learn from their experiences. A perfect text for courses in anthropology, environmental studies, and sociology.
Download or read book The Ecological Transition written by John W. Bennett and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2014-05-18 with total page 389 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Ecological Transition: Cultural Anthropology and Human Adaptation covers various concerns about human interaction with the physical environment. The title tackles how social factors are implicated in human-nature interrelationships. The text first details the concept of ecological transition, and then proceeds to discussing the interrelationship between culture, ecology, and social policy. Next, the selection deals with human ecology and cultural ecology. Chapter 4 covers system, ecosystem, and social system. The text also talks about the ecological transition, along with the culture-ecology relationship. The eighth chapter tackles adaptation and human behavior, while the ninth chapter covers adaptation as a social process. The book will be of great interest to behavioral scientists, sociologists, and anthropologists.
Download or read book Introduction to Cultural Ecology written by Mark Q. Sutton and published by Rowman Altamira. This book was released on 2009-08-16 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A newer edition of this book is available for ordering at the following web address: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780759123298 Introduction to Cultural Ecology provides a comprehensive discussion of the history and theoretical foundations of cultural ecology, featuring nine case studies from around the world.
Download or read book Environment and Food written by Colin Sage and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2011-07-07 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This timely book provides a thorough introduction to the inter-relationship of food and the environment. Its primary purpose is to bring to our attention the multiplicity of linkages and interconnections between what we eat and how this impacts on the earth’s resources. Having a better idea of the consequences of our food choices might encourage us to develop more sustainable practices of production and consumption in the decades ahead. Although human societies have, over time, brought under control a large proportion of the earth’s resources for the purpose of food production, we remain subject to the effective functioning of global ecosystem services. The author highlights the vital importance of these services and explains why we should be concerned about the depletion of freshwater resources, soil fertility decline and loss of biological diversity. The book also tackles some of the enormous challenges of our era: climate change – to which the agri-food system is both a major contributor and a vulnerable sector – and the prospect of significantly higher energy prices, arising from the peaking of oil and gas supplies which will reveal how dependent the food system has become upon cheap fossil fuels. Such challenges are likely to have significant implications for the long-term functioning of global supply chains and raise profound questions regarding the nutritional security of the world’s population. Taken together the book argues that a re-examination of the assumptions and practices underpinning the contemporary food system is urgently required. Environment and Food is a highly original, inter-disciplinary and accessible text that will be of interest to students and the wider public genuinely interested in and concerned by the state of the world’s food provisioning system. It is richly illustrated with figures and makes extensive use of boxes to highlight relevant examples.
Download or read book Environmental Anthropology written by Patricia K. Townsend and published by Waveland Press. This book was released on 2008-06-25 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental anthropologists organize the realities of interdependent lands, plants, animals, and human beings; advocate for the neediest among them; and provide understandings that preserve what is needed for the survival of a diverse world. Can the things that anthropologists have learned in their studies of small-scale systems have any relevance for developing policies to address global problems? Townsend explores this dilemma in her captivating, concise exploration of environmental anthropology and its place among the disciplines subfields. Maintaining the structure and clarity of the previous edition, the second edition has been revised throughout to include new research, expanded discussions of climate change, and a chapter devoted to spiritual ecology. In the historical overview of the field, Townsend shows how ideas and approaches developed earlier are relevant to understanding how todays local populations adapt to their physical and biological environments. She next presents a closer look at global environmental issuesrapid expansion of the world economic system, disease and poverty, the loss of biodiversity and its implications for human healthto demonstrate the effects of interactions between local and global communities. As a capstone, she gives thoughtful consideration to how, as professionals and as individuals, we can move toward personal engagement with environmental problems.
Download or read book Global Environmental Change written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1991-02-01 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global environmental change often seems to be the most carefully examined issue of our time. Yet understanding the human sideâ€"human causes of and responses to environmental changeâ€"has not yet received sustained attention. Global Environmental Change offers a strategy for combining the efforts of natural and social scientists to better understand how our actions influence global change and how global change influences us. The volume is accessible to the nonscientist and provides a wide range of examples and case studies. It explores how the attitudes and actions of individuals, governments, and organizations intertwine to leave their mark on the health of the planet. The book focuses on establishing a framework for this new field of study, identifying problems that must be overcome if we are to deepen our understanding of the human dimensions of global change, presenting conclusions and recommendations.
Download or read book The Concept and Method of Cultural Ecology written by Julian Haynes Steward and published by . This book was released on 1969 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Ecosystem Approach written by David Waltner-Toews and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2008-08-11 with total page 674 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is sustainable development a workable solution for today's environmental problems? Is it scientifically defensible? Best known for applying ecological theory to the engineering problems of everyday life, the late scholar James J. Kay was a leader in the study of social and ecological complexity and the thermodynamics of ecosystems. Drawing from his immensely important work, as well as the research of his students and colleagues, The Ecosystem Approach is a guide to the aspects of complex systems theories relevant to social-ecological management. Advancing a methodology that is rooted in good theory and practice, this book features case studies conducted in the Arctic and Africa, in Canada and Kathmandu, and in the Peruvian Amazon, Chesapeake Bay, and Chennai, India. Applying a systems approach to concrete environmental issues, this volume is geared toward scientists, engineers, and sustainable development scholars and practitioners who are attuned to the ideas of the Resilience Alliance-an international group of scientists who take a more holistic view of ecology and environmental problem-solving. Chapters cover the origins and rebirth of the ecosystem approach in ecology; the bridging of science and values; the challenge of governance in complex systems; systemic and participatory approaches to management; and the place for cultural diversity in the quest for global sustainability.
Download or read book The Earth as Transformed by Human Action written by B. L. Turner and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1993-01-29 with total page 740 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Earth as Transformed by Human Action is the culmination of a mammoth undertaking involving the examination of the toll our continual strides forward, technical and social, take on our world. The purpose of such a study is to document the changes in the biosphere that have taken place over the last 300 years, to contrast global patterns of change to those appearing on a regional level, and to explain the major human forces that have driven these changes. The first section deals strictly with the major human forces of the past 300 years and the second is a detailed account of the transformations of the global environment wrought by human action. The final section examines a range of perspectives and theories that purport to explain human actions with regard to the biosphere.
Download or read book Regenerating the Ecology of Place written by Wayne S. Teel and published by Cognella Academic Publishing. This book was released on 2021-03-25 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Regenerating the Ecology of Place helps students better understand that industrial agriculture and natural resource extraction are degrading our environment. The text posits that we must go beyond sustainability and focus on regeneration of our local ecosystems to rehabilitate our environment and reverse climate change. Students are encouraged to develop an understanding of the local ecology of the place they live and act on that knowledge, developing new ways to interact with living systems on the planet. The opening chapter introduces students to key concepts of ecology, helping them develop the language needed to better understand our impact on ecosystems and the various cycles of energy, water, and nutrients that are basic building blocks of living systems. Additional chapters address what not to do in support of regeneration efforts, speak to how agriculture must change to reduce its impact on our environment, define permaculture, and introduce strategies to reduce personal and global footprints and shrink the misuse of water. Students will learn about reintegrating manure in nutrient cycles, get an introduction to agroecology including the System of Rice Intensification, and develop their understanding of the problem with GMOs. The last chapters focus on returning carbon dioxide to the soil and adding biochar, why handling brittle landscapes is important, and more about tree crops and the benefits of agroforestry.
Download or read book Indigenous South Americans Of The Past And Present written by David J. Wilson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-02-07 with total page 511 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Utilizing ethnographic and archaeological data and an updated paradigm derived from the best features of cultural ecology and ecological anthropology, this extensively illustrated book addresses over fifteen South American adaptive systems representing a broad cross section of band, village, chiefdom, and state societies throughout the continent over the past 13,000 years.Indigenous South Americans of the Past and Present presents data on both prehistoric and recent indigenous groups across the entire continent within an explicit theoretical framework. Introductory chapters provide a brief overview of the variability that has characterized these groups over the long period of indigenous adaptation to the continent and examine the historical background of the ecological and cultural evolutionary paradigm. The book then presents a detailed overview of the principal environmental contexts within which indigenous adaptive systems have survived and evolved over thousands of years. It discusses the relationship between environmental types and subsistence productivity, on the one hand, and between these two variables and sociopolitical complexity, on the other. Subsequent chapters proceed in sequential order that is at once evolutionary (from the least to the most complex groups) and geographical (from the least to the most productive environments)?around the continent in counterclockwise fashion from the hunter-gatherers of Tierra del Fuego in the far south; to the villagers of the Amazonian lowlands; to the chiefdoms of the Amazon v¿ea and the far northern Andes; and, finally, to the chiefdoms and states of the Peruvian Andes. Along the way, detailed presentations and critiques are made of a number of theories based on the South American data that have worldwide implications for our understanding of prehistoric and recent adaptive systems.
Download or read book Once Upon the Permafrost written by Susan Alexandra Crate and published by Critical Green Engagements: In. This book was released on 2021-11-30 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Once Upon the Permafrost is a longitudinal climate ethnography about "knowing" a specific culture and the ecosystem that culture physically and spiritually depends on in the twenty-first-century context of climate change. Through careful integration of contemporary narratives, on-site observations, and document analysis, Susan Alexandra Crate shows how local understandings of change and the vernacular knowledge systems they are founded on provide critical information for interdisciplinary collaboration and effective policy prescriptions.
Download or read book Tropical and Subtropical Maize in Asia Production Systems Constraints and Research Priorities written by and published by CIMMYT. This book was released on with total page 105 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Nature and Society written by Philippe Descola and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2003-12-16 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The contributors to this book focus on the relationship between nature and society from a variety of theoretical and ethnographic perspectives. Their work draws upon recent developments in social theory, biology, ethnobiology, epistemology, sociology of science, and a wide array of ethnographic case studies -- from Amazonia, the Solomon Islands, Malaysia, the Mollucan Islands, rural comunities from Japan and north-west Europe, urban Greece, and laboratories of molecular biology and high-energy physics. The discussion is divided into three parts, emphasising the problems posed by the nature-culture dualism, some misguided attempts to respond to these problems, and potential avenues out of the current dilemmas of ecological discourse.
